In Algiers, New Orleans, after the explosion of a ferry transporting the sailors from the USS Nimitz and their families with 543 casualties, the lonely AFT agent Doug Carlin is assigned to investigate the terrorist attack. Without any lead, he is informed by Sheriff Reed about a corpse of a woman that was found one hour before the explosion, but burnt with the same explosive. He is invited by FBI Agent Pryzwarra to join the surveillance team leaded by Jack McCready in the investigations, using a time window and Einstein-Rosen bridge through seven satellites to look back four and half days in time. He discloses the identity of the mysterious dead woman called Claire Kuchever and decides to follow her last moments trying to find the criminal. Along the surveillance, Doug falls in love for Claire and tries to change destiny, saving her life.
| Denzel Washington | Agent Doug Carlin - ATF |
| Paula Patton | Claire Kuchever |
| Val Kilmer | Agent Paul Pryzwarra - FBI |
| James Caviezel | Carroll Oerstadt |
| Elden Henson | Gunnars |
| Adam Goldberg | Dr. Alexander Denny |
| Erika Alexander | Shanti |
| Bruce Greenwood | Agent Jack McCready - FBI |
| Rich Hutchman | Agent Stalhuth |
| Matt Craven | Agent Larry Minuti - ATF |
| Donna W. Scott | Beth (as Donna Scott) |
| Elle Fanning | Abbey |
| Brian Howe | Medical Examiner |
| Enrique Castillo | Claire's Father |
| Mark Phinney | Agent Kevin Donnelly - ATF |
| Shondrella Avery | Kathy - Secretary |
| Harry Gregson-Williams | Composer |
| John McConnell | Sheriff Bob Reed |
| Paul Cameron | Cinematographer |
| Dane Rhodes | Ferry Captain |
| Jason Hellmann | Editor |
| Chris Lebenzon | Editor |
| Clay Steakley | Ferry Worker |
| Chris Seagers | Production Designer |
| Lorry Houston | Cop at Disaster |
| Polly Craig | Elderly Woman at Disaster |
| Ted Manson | Crying Man at Disaster |
| Yvonne Landry | Shellshocked Woman |
| Brian F. Durkin | National Guard Officer (as Brian Durkin) |
| Kenneth Lee | Priest |
| Ron Flagge | Mayor |
| Scott Alan Smith | Trauma Doctor |
| Nadia Shazana | Trauma Nurse |
| Lew Temple | Paramedic |
| Charles Hirsch | Paramedic (as Charlie Hirsch) |
| Justin Colvin | Sailor |
| Brandi Coleman | Sailor |
| J. Todd Smith | Sailor |
| Jonathan Majoue | Sailor |
| Jerrod Paige | Sailor |
| John Will Clay | Sailor |
| Bart Hansard | Ed Elkins |
| Scott Klace | Police Lieutenant #1 |
| David Pease | Port Authority |
| Andy Umberger | NTSB Investigator |
| Patt Noday | News Reporter |
| Ritchie Montgomery | Agent #1 |
| Jack Daniel Stanley | Criminalist |
| Maureen Brennan | Harbor Cop |
| Randy Austin | Harbor Cop |
| J.W. Williams | Harbor Cop |
| Rio Hackford | Beth's Boyfriend |
| Gary Grubbs | Police Lieutenant #2 |
| Frank Duffy | Agent #3 (as Frankie Lynch) |
| Bill Ladd | Coast Guardsman |
| Lara Grice | Reporter |
| Lowell Perry | Reporter |
| Michael Arata | Reporter |
| Sylvia Jefferies | Reporter |
| Carol Sutton | Eyewitness |
| Julia Lashae | Eyewitness |
| Chris Rose | Coroner at Disaster |
| Douglas M. Griffin | Dock Worker |
| Margaret Lawhon | Channel 8 Reporter |
| Roy McCrerey | National Guardsman at Disaster |
| Freddy Mitchell | SAR Diver |
| David Jensen | Ferry Official |
| Jerry Rudden | Fire Chief Rudden |
| John Johnson | Fire Chief |
| Ronald Mason | EMT Paramedic |
| Shawn Michael Patrick | ATF Agent |
| James Huang | ATF Agent |
| Jennifer Weston | M.D. / Technical Advisor |
| Angela Daun | Ambulance Bay Nurse (as Angela D. Hoenig) |
| Gregg Kawecki | Hospital Security Guard (as H. Gregg Kawecki) |
| Ann Turkel | Technician |
| Christopher Scholl | Newspaper reporter |
| Charmaine Neville | Singer at Funeral |
| Bruce Barnes | Zydeco Singer at Funeral (as Bruce 'Sunpie' Barnes) |
| Nolan North | Ex-Fiance (voice) |
| Kerry Barden | Casting Director |
| Denise Chamian | Casting Director |
| Billy Hopkins | Casting Director |
| Suzanne Smith | Casting Director |
| Drew Boughton | Art Director |
| Rosemary Brandenburg | Set Decorator |
| Ellen Mirojnick | Custome Designer |
| Howard Berger | special makeup effects artist |
| Carla Brenholtz | Makeup Artist |
| Larry M. Cherry | hair stylist: Mr. Washington |
| Michael Deak | special makeup effects supervisor |
| Alex Diaz | special makeup effects crew |
| John Paul Fedele | special makeup effects crew (as Jon Fedele) |
| Carl Fullerton | makeup artist: Mr. Washington |
| Greg Funk | key makeup artist (as Gregory C. Funk) |
| Jake Garber | special makeup effects artist |
| Allison Gordin | makeup artist: New Orleans |
| Edouard F. Henriques | makeup department head (as Edouard F. Henriques III) |
| Garrett Immel | special makeup effects crew |
| Mark Mahoney | Tattoo Artist |
